Productive Bilingual Baccalaureate Program Benefits 65,000 Students

Productive Bilingual Baccalaureate Program Benefits 65,000 Students
Dominican Republic, Santo Domingo, 05/28/2011

The Ministry of Education (MINERD), the Regional Directorate of Regional 10 Education, Poveda Cultural Joint Management Center and the General Directorate of Middle School Education presented the results of the Productive Bilingual Baccalaureate Program that had reached a total of 65,000 high school students in education centers in this region between 2009 and 2011.

The results of the program were presented at an event held in the Ravelo Hall of the National Theater as part of the X1V International Book Fair.

This program, for students in the public school system, seeks to open a world of development and growth possibilities and opportunities for high school graduates, according to the Ministry of Education.

The results of the program were presented at an event held in the Ravelo Hall of the National Theater as part of the X1V International Book Fair.

Argentina Henríquez, a teacher in the Regional 10 Education, said this program was motivated by the poverty that prevails in places where the schools are located.

Ms. Henríquez said, “it is a contradiction in terms that young people spend 12 years in the classroom then leave without sufficient academic and technical skills to find a spot for themselves in the labor marker nor with the skills to continue on to higher education.”

Henríquez understands that school must prepare students to mitigate social risks and to find their place in the world through the implementation of this English program and new methods of teaching in elementary, middle and high school, from the first year to the fourth and last year of high school.

Students who were part of the program, in addition to developing communicative language skills, also learned technology skills including the Internet, the use of CD-Roms, telephony and singing songs. Some of them even made home movies.

Professor Henríquez mentioned the educational limits that affect this program. She understands that it is necessary to broaden oral and written production and to increase the training of the teachers themselves. She said the academic calendar limits them because there are so few class hours for English lessons.

Other difficulties, she said, include the noise produced by the nearby businesses and shops in the areas where the schools are located and there is a lack of equipment. To this, she added the problems generated by the lack of electricity. She explained that, nevertheless, classroom work is improving because, as a region, they have received donations from some businesses.

Juan Valdez, director of the program, said the Dominican public schools have entered the digital era and in order to improve employment potential for students, they must learn English. Those with English, he said, will find work quickly. He said the computer lab installations have been fundamental for this project.

As part of the event in the National Theater, students who spoke English skillfully were part of the presentation. Toward the end, there was a spelling bee among a dozen or so students.


In the name of the Education Ministry, Professor Esperanza Ayala gave 90 laptops to teachers and outstanding students from the schools involved in the program. In the picture, Professor Argentina Henríquez and two students are receiving their laptops.